[ INSPIRATION ]

Behind the design

Now in it’s 14th year, Heal’s Discovers promotes the work of innovative and emerging design talent by providing a platform on which to showcase their skills and creativity. Launching as part of London Design Festival, this year’s designers have pushed the boundaries of creativty by working with materials in new ways and forming solutions to common design problems. Meet the designers behind the Heal’s Discovers 2018 collection below. John Eadon Heal's Discovers 2018 finalist, John Eadon, has always had an interest in design. Having grown up on his family’s working farm, he used to sketch his own designs for tractors before developing his passion for creativity at Norwich School of Art & Design. He began working with wood and went on to teach himself furniture making. Heal’s first discovered John at his stand at Platform at Clerkenwell Design Week where he was displaying his Trellis shelving system. The design stemmed from an exploration of the Windsor chair and the techniques used to make it. The result is a light freestanding, adaptable modular design that can also be used as a room divider. Its arched top and bottom, which were influenced by the use of arches in architecture, make it a truly standout piece. The mirrored arches are reminiscent of when the arches of bridges are reflected in rivers they cross. “Such large pieces of furniture can be imposing and block out light, so I wanted to design something which would be very open and allow light through, whilst also offering options to act as a partial screen to a space.” The shelving system can grow or reduce to suit the users changing needs – panels and shelves can be rearranged giving the owner plenty of creative freedom to arrange their own individual layout. This simple design is produced from sustainably sourced British oak and ash which were chosen for its excellent strength, flexibility and warmth. John’s favourite Heal’s product? The Tip Ton chair by Barber and Osgerby for Vitra - “It is such a good example of observing and taking note of human habits and designing to cater for those needs, it’s playful and purposeful and has an active conversation with the user. Little things like that bring a lot of joy to design.” Tijn Van Orsouw Tijn Van Orsouw grew up in a small village in the south of the Netherlands where he developed his passion for designing and creating. Backed by a belief that good design lies in innovation, Tijn developed the Lightcomposer collection - a series of lighting solutions made from Colback, a non-woven paper-like textile. Initially designed as a window screen, Tijn became fascinated by the way Colback transmitted light and wanted to experiment with folds along different planes. After some time, his two designs were born - the Lightcomposer Wall Lamp and Lightcomposer Pendant both feature origami-style folds which disperse light from the inbuilt LED beautifully, emitting a soft glow around the room. Tijn's Lightcomposer Pendant has a slim LED strip at its centre which holds the material in shape. Tijn works in a large workshop alongside many other designers and artists. “For me this is where I can talk about my work and work and play with new ideas and designs. In the afternoon we always have lunch together, sometimes with about 18 people. I like people around me. This is often how the best ideas surface.” What does good design mean to Tijn? Good design is innovative and pushes existing design concepts further on in a meaningful way. A good design should be able to be adopted by an audience and it should be clear how to use it straight away. The Indigo Mill The Indigo Mill is housed in a large woollen mill built in the Industrial Era. It has been a place of British textile manufacture since 1812, and now creates woven floor runners produced from recycled yarns. Sarah May is the brains behind the business. She began designing the collection of runners after delving into the archives of the Victorian wool mill the company are based in. The company then investigated the yarn stocks to start producing and discovered large amounts of unused tufting yarns that would be ideal for weaving. “I made contact with the Bristol Weaving Mill during the small hours of the morning after my baby daughter fell asleep on me and I was left immobile scrolling through my phone reading articles. When I came across one about the BWM it sparked a question of why we couldn’t use our tufting yarns for weaving? I contacted the BWM and by the morning, I had a response back open to the idea of a collaboration.” Experiments with the Bristol Weaving Mill developed into these beautifully finished runners. Each with their own pattern, they are lovingly made from 100% recycled yarn. Where does Sarah find inspiration? My garden – I’m a keen gardener I have plants everywhere, fruit trees, vegetables, flowers and my kitchen window sills are filled with cacti, indoor plants and succulents. The geometry and symmetry of shape, the available colours and contrasts, there is always a source of inspiration. It is my therapy, it provides a refuge bubble when life is on a chaotic schedule.
At Heal's, we believe that our behaviour is heavily influenced by our environment. Surroundings are therefore extremely important for those who create, often becoming a significant part of the process. To mark this year’s London Design Festival, we’ve teamed up with some of London’s most pioneering women to celebrate the spaces in which they work. Our five Heal's SPACES collaborators have recreated the spaces which inspire them on a daily basis in the windows of our Tottenham Court Road. Each woman was free to select items from their craft, from Heal’s and even from their own home. From Jessie Burton’s writing shed to Melissa Hemsley’s kitchen, you can take a closer look at these creative spaces at the Heal’s flagship store until 23rd September. We sat down with the five women to find out a bit more about them and their creative space. Melissa Hemsley Author and wellness guru Melissa Hemsley is one of the nation’s most popular home cooks. Promoting a healthy attitude to food and eating, Melissa’s approach is all about finding the joy in cooking. Her new book, Eat Happy, features recipes that are not only simple to make (most recipes take less than 30 minutes with only one pan) but filling and healthy as well. “My favourite place to create is at my kitchen table. After years of dreaming and building our kitchen, I finally have a creative space I love. From my kitchen table I can see through to the living room where my boyfriend Henry is often working. Nelly my dog will be laying somewhere in between us, sunbathing. I can see our vegetable garden to my left (current favourites are basil, courgette and cherry tomatoes) to my right is a long shelf with all of my favourite cookbooks.” Melissa’s approach to designing her space is much the same as designing her recipes – she focuses on what makes her happy and incorporates that into her space. Her suggestion? “Brainstorm 10 moments when you felt at your happiest. If you write down fresh air, nature, a beautiful view, or an incredible meal - use these elements to build your creative space. I’m happiest when I’m comfortable. Some of the happiest memories of mine are on the sofa. If you like nice textures, invest in them.” It’s no surprise then that Melissa has decided to recreate her kitchen space in the windows of our Tottenham Court Road store. Featuring our Cross table, which Melissa herself in fact owns, she has also included a herbs & spices wall and plenty of greenery to breathe life into her surroundings. “I like something alive. Flowers or my plants. It’s lovely when a friend’s bought them. Emma Gannon gave me a money plant. Helena Lee gave me a peace plant. I’ll always put something on the table in front of me as a focal point. So I’ll grab a herb pot and make it the focus.” Marina Diamandis Since hitting the music scene in 2010, Marina Diamandis of Marina And The Diamonds has established herself as a truly unique artist. With three albums under her belt, she’s set to release her fourth later this year. For our SPACES exhibition, Marina is reimagining her dressing room in our Tottenham Court Road window, giving passers-by a look into a space often unseen by the public. “With a creative space, I make the priority comfort and practicality and add anything that creates a feeling of excitement or joy. For me, that’s colour. I love giant pops of green, pink, yellow in furniture or little items. Also, I don't clutter it too much - I don't want it to be too homely in the items I bring. I want to feel removed from my home so I can think in a different way and remind myself it’s a place to get stuff done.” When asked what she can’t live without when creating – “A great sofa! Every songwriter will appreciate that in a studio session. A nice soft throw and cushions too.” Marina has chosen our new Eton sofa for her dressing room. With comfort at its core, our new Eton range combines a sleek minimal aesthetic with generously filled cushions – perfect for those long writing sessions. Jessie Burton Novelist and author of The Miniaturist and The Muse, Jessie Burton, chooses to retreat to her writing studio at the bottom of her garden to bring her ideas to life. “I drew it on a piece of paper and a shed company in Nottingham made it for me. It’s 10’ by 8’. Light blue with lots of glass so the light comes in. Inside I have a desk, a chair and a comfortable armchair.” As part of our forthcoming SPACES exhibition, Jesse will be creating her writing shed in the windows of our Tottenham Court Road store. Based in London, Jessie’s shed is a place of peace and quiet that is dedicated to reading and writing. It’s full of items she has collected over the years from her family home, charity shops, and other investment pieces. Her approach to décor comes from a belief that your creative space should reflect who you are. “It’s your personal space so you should never feel compelled to follow trends. It’s got to be things that give you pleasure and that are comfortable for you. It’s about how it makes you feel. And it takes time. You can’t immediately create a space that will work wonders for you.” Jessie’s latest book, The Restless Girls, is a dazzling, feminist work of short fiction, reinterpreting a classic fairy tale, beautifully illustrated by Angela Barrett. The work – as all her others – was written in her shed but her experience was very different. “I’ve written 5 books now and they’ve all been very different in terms of creative process. Something that’s common with across them all is a patchwork approach; I have an idea for a character or a situation and it’s about finding the threads, being patient and being prepared to take false steps. It doesn’t come fully formed so there’s a lot of explaining and taking an open-minded approach. I’ve learned to trust that my subconscious will produce the next day's work.” Annie Sloan Colour expert and artist, Annie Sloan, is widely recognised as one of the world's most respected authorities in paint. Her range of Chalk Paint transformed the world of furniture, encouraging people to pick up a brush and unlock their creative potential. When it comes to creating, Annie doesn’t need much. “Paint, paint and paint. Paper or a sketchbook, brushes, a black pen and some water.” Her Oxford home acts as her base and she often finds herself working from her dining room as it has a nice amount of light. But she also draws inspiration from the outdoors – “Oxford has some beautiful outside spaces, from canals and rivers to incredible parks. I like to get up early and go for a walk. It clears the head and prepares for me for my day.” Annie is recreating her art studio in the windows of our Tottenham Court Road store, complete with the paint for which she has become so well known. Her studio reflects her real life studio, a place that she describes as – “somewhere with good light, free from too many distractions, where you don’t have to tidy away afterwards; if you have to tidy up you lose the thread.” We couldn’t agree more. Jacqueline Rabun Our final collaborator is Jacqueline Rabun, a contemporary jewellery designer who has been collaborating with Georg Jensen since 1999. Her jewellery is easily recognisable from its fluid, conceptual forms that seek to reflect the human experience. Her designs use the finest materials, creating wearable works of art that tell a story. Jacqueline works from her beautiful home in Clerkenwell which overlooks St James’ Church and her neighbourhood park. “I need a calm and nurturing environment that allows me to focus when I create. I always burn scented candles to bring harmony to my space.” Like her jewellery designs, her process for designing is very fluid and organic. “My process is not always the same, typically when I have an idea it usually comes when I am not focused on designing. I love to explore shapes and forms from nature which I discover through long walks in London or near the sea.” Jacqueline has recreated her workspace, complete with scented candle, at our Tottenham Court Road store – stop by to take a look.
As part of our new Spring/Summer 2018 collection, we embarked on a new collaboration with artist, Katy Welsh. Katy has designed a set of three cushions - Pane, Pillar, and Plinth - that were inspired by the hidden details found at our flagship store. We thought it was fitting to invite her to Tottenham Court Road to give our windows a fresh look for the new season. Using her signature painterly style, she transformed the windows in a vibrant mix of colours inspired by her range. We caught up with Katy to find out a bit more... Tell us a brief history of yourself as a designer. I studied Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Leeds College of Art, and since graduating I've been developing my personal practice as a print designer. This has involved working on lots of different kinds of projects from stationery to interiors. I really enjoy having lots of variety in my work. How did your collaboration with Heal’s come about? I have wanted to work with Heals forever and last year had the opportunity to meet with Hannah Thistlethwaite, the senior textile buyer at Heal’s, and show her my work. She suggested a collaboration for SS18 and I jumped at the chance. Seeing my work in store is a great feeling. I love the fact that Heal's as an institution is so supportive of up and coming designers and to be a part of that is really amazing. What was the main inspiration behind the designs created for the collaboration? Hannah’s brief to me was to respond to the Heal's building with my prints. I spent some time in Tottenham Court Road photographing architectural details of the store and each print was then inspired by a different aspect of what I had seen; Pane is inspired by the shapes of the large part deco window on one side of the building, Pillar takes influence from the famous Brewer staircase in the centre of the store, and Plinth is pretty self-explanatory. Talk us through your process of translating a design from paper to finished product. This project started with sketches and research. For Pane and Pillar, I worked in collage first, which is my favourite medium to use. I then took what I had done into Photoshop and played with adding photographic elements and refining the colour and composition. Plinth started digitally and then went onto paper. Once I had worked out the repeat I redrew the design in crayon to give it more life. I screen printed all the fabric for this project myself too (with quite a lot of help). It was a very big undertaking for my tiny studio, but I was really happy with how it turned out. Katy Welsh's exclusive collaboration with Heal's You recently spent the day transforming the windows of our Tottenham Court Road store. How was that experience? Talk us through what you did. I must admit I was nervous about decorating the windows of such an iconic store, but when I was approached by Kevin Torre, the lead Visual Merchandiser, I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up! I took reference from my SS18 prints for the window designs which, because they were originally inspired by the store itself, really tied everything together nicely. I applied vinyl decals in the same way that I would build up a screen print: overlaying colour on top of colour and mixing in layers of halftone photography as well. This means the windows look different from the inside than they do from the outside which I thought was a nice touch. I got help from Lea from the VM team who was really great! I finished off my designs with details of paint which went on the outside of the glass. This is something I've wanted to try for ages and am really glad it turned out looking so good! Thanks again to Katy. You can see the all three exclusive cushion designs on our website.
As part of British Designers at Heal’s we welcome Stephen Smith, our artist-in-residence, whose work is available to view and purchase at our Tottenham Court Road store. Working under the studio name of Neasden Control Centre, Stephen's work is known for its multi-disciplined hand drawn approach often combining lettering, drawing and collage within graphic compositions. We sat down with Stephen to find out a bit more about him, his work, and what inspires him as an artist. What motivated you to work as an artist? Is it what you wanted to get into growing up? I have worked as a both an artist & illustrator since I graduated from the University of Brighton in 1998. Although there are obviously differences between my commercial studio work as Neasden Control Centre and my art practice essentially I’m motivated by environment, society & culture - both historic and contemporary. This influences my work in both capacities. I was lucky enough to be taken by my family to museums and art exhibitions as a young child which had a big impact in my learning and development and overall interest in the arts. I have always enjoyed all aspects of what I do. It’s become my whole life and something I live for. How would you describe a typical working day? I don’t tend to have typical days. I try and keep things flexible between my studios. I have a studio for commercial work which is more desk orientated and a separate studio for painting which is larger and enables me to explore different processes in a playful way - some of these works are large in scale and so require a different space to work in. Due to the diverse nature of the projects I tend to take on sometimes a day can consist of; planning and research for future work, site visits, sewing large sections of canvas, painting, drawing for illustration or commercial projects, digital editing or working on design led projects with collaborators I work with. I also try and keep things flexible as this suits my process and practice to expect the unexpected. Give us some background on your collection. What was the inspiration behind it? The starting point for this series spawned from a journey I took to Baikonur Cosmodrome (Russian Space Station). During this trip I witnessed the flat plains of Kazakhstan on a 24 hour train journey, vast architectural interventions and colour from the region at first hand. These have subsequently became embedded in a visual language as a metaphor for this time / place within the surface. I am exploring this through a process of formal abstraction. This process embodies the deconstruction and subsequent reconstruction of both material and motifs. I see these as integral to the form of the painting and paradoxical in approach. Within this I am exploring the interaction between both the physical material and painted motifs, where the motifs act as a method of communication like say a maritime signal flag. This visual language is documented by my support work in collage and drawings in mixed media on paper. As a painter, I am particularly interested in the process of breaking down and re-contextualising. Integral to this has been exploring the boundaries between paintings on stretchers and un-stretched canvas. I am interested in engaging with how the folds, sewn edges and layers within the canvas can act as a form of mark making. How long does it take to create your artwork? The paintings exhibited at Heal’s currently are part of series of works I have been making over the past year or so exploring both the physical process of painting and construction / deconstruction within it. Stephen Smith's artwork on display in our Tottenham Court Road store The paintings are often reworked and therefore can take up to a year to complete. In this series I have deconstructed the form of both the paint and painting structure by cutting and machine stitching the canvas so that it encompasses a collaged process. This process has enabled me to explore drawing, painting, scale and colour within my work. How would you describe the feel of the materials used in your design and the choice of colours? One of the things that my process has enabled within deconstructing and reconstructing the canvas through collage and stitching has been the ability to cut directly through the middle of paintings and, by doing so, creating areas of both raw and painted canvas within this action. Stephen Smith's artwork on display in our Tottenham Court Road store This has enabled different colours and elements to interact with each other in combination with textural qualities and marks across the surface. The tension of the paint and collaged colour is held in a form of chaos directly within this physical process. I’m trying to achieve a balance between the line, form, surface, colour and overall compositions at all times. Therefore the paintings very much have evolved from Modernism. I am particularly drawn to mid-century form within Modernism and the often brutal nature of the architecture celebrated again in recent times from this period of stark concrete and painted murals.
A key part of Heal’s heritage has been partnering with independent designers to bring customers well-made and good quality design – be they well-established or newly discovered names. Heal’s Discovers does just that. Now in its 13th year, the initiative aims to provide a platform for emerging design talent to showcase their skills and creativity. For Heal’s Discovers 2017, we decided to focus on innovation in making and technology. Drawing upon Ambrose Heal's quote, "if in doubt, innovate" we have selected some of the strongest emerging designers who are using brand new processes in production and materiality to produce beautiful pieces for the home. Launching as part of London Design Festival in September, these pieces will be available to buy in store and online. Meet the designers behind the Heal's Discovers 2017 collection below. Alice Howard Graham First up is Alice Howard Graham who has created a selection of innovative printed leather designs that can be used as rugs or wall hangings. We first met Alice at her Masters show in 2016 where her passion for creativity was instantly apparent. Growing up on the South Downs in East Sussex, she was encouraged by her mother, the late painter and photographer Anne Howard, to express herself creatively through many different mediums. She found herself drawn to textiles and, having studied for a degree at UCA Farnham and then a Masters at RCA in the subject, she began to perfect her method of screen-printing onto leather. She cites the initial stages of gathering inspiration as vital to her design process and often looks to photography for ideas. “Photography has always been very important to me, as it's often the starting point for my designs. These photographsthen inspire me to experiment with surface, placement and colour in quite an abstract style.” Alice used a series of aerial photographs she took over Petworth, East Sussex from a hot air balloon for her Painted Shapes panel. A selection of Alice's aerial photography “Viewing the varying textures and colours of the autumnal Sussex countryside from a flat, aerial perspective was fascinating. I loved the abstract depiction of the elemental, textural environments these photographs were portraying. Shadows created from trees and hedgerows leaked into the edges of ploughed fields whilst deep indigo reservoirs and lakes cut into the landscape.” What has resulted is a beautifully soft yet durable leather panel with a striking printed design that we instantly fell in love with. Solidwool Justin and Hannah Floyd are the creative minds behind Solidwool, a composite material made from wool that gained the two entrepreneurial designers a place on our shortlist. Driven by the decline of woollen manufacturing in their home town of Buckfastleigh, the couple set out to find a new way of working with the material. “Buckfastleigh was once a thriving part of the woollen industry but had grown quiet since the key manufacturing had left. We had an idea - if we could find a new way of working with wool then perhaps we could bring some of this industry back. We wanted to find a way of reinventing this wool to give it value once again. To take the unwanted and make it beautiful.” Using the coarse wool from hill-farmed, upland sheep they found an entirely new way to work with a material that had lost nearly all of its value. Once a major part of a shepherd's income, the wool now sells for about 30-40p per kg, costing more to shear the sheep than a shepherd gets back in wool sales. “We started to play, to turn the way we have always worked with wool on its head. The end result is what has become Solidwool. A strong, beautiful and unique composite material. Think of it like fibreglass, but with wool.” Justin and Hannah wanted to showcase the beauty of the material and a shell chair seemed to be the obvious choice. Using a classic, simple shape allowed the material to be the star. “We like the fact there is reference back to the Eames’ first production fibreglass chairs – as an alternative to fibreglass, it seems apt.” Matt Davis Next we introduce Matt Davis who we first met at the New Designers Graduate show and whose ceramic vessels won him a place on our Heal’s Discovers 2017 shortlist. Having originally trained in graphic design at Camberwell School of Art, he returned to studying his initial passion for ceramics at the University of Brighton. It was a decision that awarded him a 1st Class Honours degree, a Richard Seager Bursary Award and the Emmanuel Cooper Prize in 2017. He also has pieces on display in the permanent collection at the Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. Describing his design style as Digital futurism, Matt’s work references classical vessel forms which are essentially digitised for the modern era. “I had the idea of making ‘binary objects’ and wanted to create iconic artefacts that had an almost dualistic existence both aesthetically and conceptually. These designs appear like digital objects in the physical world and their geometry almost looks impossible to cast but it can be done.” It took almost a month for Matt to work out how to translate his designs from computer code to physical designs. His ceramic vessels are initially 3D printed before being moulded and slip cast in liquid clay, creating a truly 21st century ceramic collection that challenges the preconceptions of technology and traditional craft. “I chose bone china because it’s the whitest of the ceramic materials and can make porcelain look almost grey in comparison. The black complements this perfectly and alludes to ideas of duality and the theme of making objects that exist virtually as code into permanent physical artefacts.” Smile Plastics With a passion for making beautiful materials that inspire, Adam Fairweather and Rosalie McMillan are two pioneers of design within a circular economy. The duo established Smile Plastics in 2015 with the aim of creating sustainable plastic panels with a striking aesthetic and strong narrative. For Heal’s Discovers the panels have been used to create a collection of side tables, encouraging us to challenge the perceptions of value and the potential of waste products in furniture design. “For us the starting point is discovering the waste material itself, working to uncover its potential in terms of aesthetics and function. Often you see evidence of the history of the materials within our panels. You may spot the odd barcode or foil from the lid of a yoghurt pot immersed in the panel.” Handmade in the UK, the materials are 100% recycled and recyclable. Though the concept may seem simple, the production process is complex and time-consuming. “We start by exploring waste materials on a small pilot scale – looking at different waste streams, colours and patterns before trialling our production on a larger scale. It can take several months to develop a material and can take much longer than this – the recycled coffee material is a product that Adam has been developing for many years.”
In celebration of British Designers at Heal's, we teamed up with Kate Watson-Smyth, interiors journalist and creator of Mad About the House, and Tiffany Grant-Riley, interior stylist and creator of online blog Curate & Display, who took over the windows of our store in Westbourne Grove. The brief was simple: create a ‘home from home’ within the windows of the Queen’s building featuring pieces from the Heal’s roster of past, present and future UK design icons. What resulted was two very different room-sets that were true to their interior styles. Take a closer look at their displays below. A firm believer in the idea that a home should tell a story, Kate describes her style as Urban Glamour with natural wood and touches of metal never far from her styling. Using the Russell Pinch Wallis sofa and the Balzac armchair by Matthew Hilton Kate has styled a visually striking living room using pieces with organic shapes and rich colours. When asked how she went about creating her room set Kate said, “I just love the Wallis sofa by Russell Pinch and have done ever since I saw it at the Press Show so I knew I wanted to build something around that sofa. It embodies what we discussed about British design – clean lines, elegant, timeless, but with an element of luxury with the blue velvet. It’s very me. “I like to use a lot of different textures and layering, but keep the colour scheme simple. That’s why I chose to layer a number of rugs and feature that beautiful drinks cabinet from Heal’s Tendeter.” In contrast to Kate’s maximalist style, Tiffany Grant-Riley is drawn towards the minimal, often taking inspiration from Scandinavian style. Embracing slow living and a simple aesthetic, Tiffany has a penchant for pieces that use materials in their simplest form, allowing the beauty of the designs to speak for themselves. Tiffany used the Orson desk designed by Matthew Hilton to feature in her laid back home office space with plenty of greenery, metallic touches and warm colour palette. She says, “I liked the clever mix of classic mid-century with the walnut wood and the metal legs giving it a contemporary feel. So I thought I would do a workspace because I’m drawn to spaces where you can be creative. “I wanted elements of greenery which are very much my style and a bit of the dark, earthy terracotta which tied in well with the copper touches in the rug. I included a few brass pieces from Tom Dixon as well because I felt I needed him in there as he is one of the most important designers of our time.” A selection of designs used in Tiff's room-set If you would like to see the room-sets in person, head to our store in Westbourne Grove. The installations will be there until August 31st 2017.
Ed Heritage Tilt table lamp
HEAL'S DISCOVERS

HEAL'S DISCOVERS

Ed Heritage

As part of this season’s Heal’s Discovers initiative, we’re delighted to introduce Ed Heritage, an award-winning UK-based designer whose signature style of clean geometry and playful details is reflected in the beautiful lamp he created.

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